At a meeting of the Académie de Médicine last July, M. Le Fort presented a long fragment of filaria medinensis, which he had taken from a subcutaneous abscess; the patient had another small tumor on the calf of his leg, which doubtless was owing to the presence of the parasite. DANIEL G. BRINTON, A.M., M.D., the wellknown editor of the Medical and Surgical Reporter of this city, and the author of valuable works upon aboriginal American languages, has been elected Professor of American Archæology and Linguistics in the Literary Department of the University of Pennsylvania. WHEN TO ADMINISTER TÆNIACIDES.-In the MEDICAL NEWS AND MISCELLANY. treatment for tape-worm it is the custom, I believe, DR. JOHN D. MERCUR has removed to 1432 Pine Street. to give the remedy to the patient fasting. Is this right? To whom is the remedy addressed: to the man or the parasite? The worm has a small head with a long and comparative large body, composed of joints nearly independent, which, DR. F. B. HAZEL has removed to 841 North when mature, separate (are not broken) and are Broad Street. DR. J. R. F. BELL has removed to No. 2028 North Broad Street. discharged with the ova. The head anchors the worm but does not materially nourish it, which is done by absorption by the joints themselves. Now, give the remedy to the patient fasting and it is rapidly absorbed, and the man, not the DR. HUNTER P. COOPER has been elected Professor of Chemistry in the Atlanta Medical Col-worm, gets the effect of the vermifuge. lege. DR. M. H. JORDAN, of Birmingham, has been elected Professor of Materia Medica and Therapeutics in the Alabama Medical College. Dr. Joseph G. RICHARDSON, Professor of Hygiene in the University of Pennsylvania, died at his residence in this city on November 13th. THE government chemist of New Zealand is reported to have proven that the dust of the recent volcanic eruptions is of great value as a fertilizer. LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JOHN MOORE, Assistant Medical Purveyor, U.S.A., has been appointed to the surgeon-generalship made vacant by the retirement of Brigadier-General Robert Murray. THE degree of Master of Arts has been conferred on Professor James M. Holloway, of Louisville, by the faculty of Centre College, Danville, Ky., and on Professor M. F. Coomes, of Louisville, by the faculty of St. Mary's College, near Lebanon, Ky. THE CHICAGO GYNECOLOGICAL SOCIETY has elected the following officers for the year 18861887: President, Charles Warrington Earle; First Vice-President, E. C. Dudley; Second Vice-President, T. D. Fitch; Secretary and Treasurer, Edward Warren Sawyer; Editor, W. W. Jaggard. THE NEW YORK STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION has elected the following officers for the ensuing year: President, Dr. Isaac E. Taylor, of New York; Secretary, Dr. E. D. Ferguson, of Troy; Treasurer, Dr. John H. Hinton, of New York; Librarian, Dr. J. W. S. Gouley, of New York. If you give the remedy an hour or two after a meal, just as the digested food is passing from the stomach, it is not so liable to be injured by digestion, but passes with the digested food along the length of the intestines, and the worm is bathed with it from stem to stern and gets its full effect. This is my experience.-W. C. Bennett, M.D.-New England Medical Monthly. THE BALD-HEADED MEN OF THE EAST. Again the Western physician suffers. A little while ago a great man told us that we had malaria, and might not attain to that high average of scientific lore that was reached by our more favored brethren of the East. Now comes Mr. Eaton, Medical Record, October 2, and observes " that the per cent. of baldness is in direct proportion to the amount of education and cultivation."" Furthermore, Mr. Eaton and Dr. W. A. Hammond tell us that "bald-headed men are most plentiful in New York and Boston. After these come Philadelphia, Washington, and the Western towns." A few weeks since, it was bad enough, but having tried to get rid of our malaria in our desire to grasp science, we now find we have too much hair. Is there no relief? We believe we were born bald-headed, but that does not count; it must be the result of "education and cultivation." Some of us drank at the fountain of knowledge where the bald-headed philosophers of the East sold the waters and worked the pump handle. Others lived for long years in the East where the skies were blue, the wind blew, and a few of the savants blew and still are blowing, but it was in vain, our hair grew and here we are. We know that in Mexico there are dogs that are hairless. Does this show a similarity between Mexico and New York? Are the Mexican dogs | I have applied it myself or directed its use in being "educated and cultivated" for New York consultation, has been most pleasing. society—or is New York going to the dogs? We now know why the bald-headed man selects the front row at the theatre-he is a scienist, a comparative anatomist perhaps, looking for fat calves. We now know why William A. Hammond is bald. He is scientific, and Mr. Eaton, he too is bald, we suppose-at least he is bare-faced enough to be bald all over. Dermatologists tell us that many cases of alopecia in the East are due to syphilis. If, according to the immortal Billings, malaria is antagonistic to science in the West, we are led to believe that syphilis favors it in the East. Do we not know that syphilis sometimes produces baldness in New York, and that baldness shines most where there is education, i. e., in New York and Boston according to Dr. Hammond and Mr. Eaton. We had thought that possibly Dr. Hammond left his hair, when for certain reasons he suddenly left the army some years ago; but we live and learn. There is another cause of baldness, other than cultivation, education, and syphilis, which we fear the learned investigators have not considered. Sometimes there is a contraction of brain matter and an evolution of gas in the cranium. Part of this gas escapes through different channels, and part being retained, not only produces an enlargement of the head-called by -but may permeate the calvarium various names and destroy the hair follicles. This condition has, we believe, never been noticed west of the Allegheny Mountains, the few cases of baldness in the Mississippi Valley being due, as Mr. Eaton has said, "to education and cultivation."-Weekly Medical Review. DRY CHLORIDE OF SODIUM IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBINVOLUTION OF THE UTERUS.That peculiar enlargement of the uterus, with its accompanying train of distressing symptoms known as subinvolution of the uterus, is a matter of such common occurrence and is so often difficult to cure that any one who has anything promising to offer in the way of treatment, may be excused for enlarging existing literature on the subject. The writer desires here to commend most highly the surgical treatment of the disease. The various plastic operations upon the uterine cervix which have been recommended by authorities he has found sufficient to compass a cure in the large majority of cases; but in those cases where for any reason operative surgical measures are withdrawn advisably, he has found the treatment by dry applications of sodium chloride to the swollen cervix most satisfactory. It has been in use in my practice for more than two years, and the success which has attended its use where The formula I use is this: R. Chloride of sodium 3i. Ziij. 3j. Powd. slippery elm bark Powd. hyoscyamus leaves Mix and rub in a hot and dry mortar until thoroughly desiccated. This is applied to a diseased cervix uteri in quantities equal to an ordinary teaspoonful once every other day, and sometimes oftener. My common plan is to take a piece of absorbent cotton, circular, and three inches in diameter, just thick enough to hold the powder placed inside. The edges of the cotton are then folded over the powder and tied with a string which is left of a length suitable to facilitate the withdrawal of the tampon thus made, from the vagina. This insures the contact of the dry salt with the diseased uterus pretty nearly, although a thin layer of absorbent cotton intervenes between the salt to be dissolved and the uterus to provide the fluid for dissolving it. In case the application proves painful, the tampon is withdrawn, and another replaced containing a larger quantity of hyoscyamus or opium, or morphine, as I may think best adapted to the case. To apply the chloride of sodium prepared in the manner just described, a speculum is first introduced and the swollen cervix brought into view and proper position, then that end of the cotton tampon which contains the chloride of sodium, etc., is passed through the speculum and placed against the cervix. It is held in position with dressing forceps while the speculum is withdrawn. The tufted end of the tampon insures its contact with the cervix after the forceps are released. The principle on which the influence of this remedy depends is found in: (a) The depletion of the uterus of its fluid to liquefy the chloride of sodium. (b) The antiseptic properties of the salt checking and preventing putrefactive and fermentative changes in the vagina and uterus. (c) The presence of a mechanical support for the enlarged and malposed uterus favoring better circulation of blood through that organ. In occasional cases I have observed that the patient did poorly when cotton was used to hold the powder in position. It appearing that the mere presence of the cotton adding to the bulk of the foreign body in the vagina was cause sufficient to make the patient listless and decline in health. In such cases I have introduced a small Ferguson speculum, brought the uterus into position, and thrown a teaspoonful of the powder directly upon the diseased organ. To relieve pain, I have added opium powder, hyoscyamus powder, or belladonna powder, to the salt and slippery elm.-HAL C. WYMAN, M.D.— Medical Age. COMMERCIAL NEWS. NOT A GYNECOLOGICAL PATIENT. "Some pleasures still in Satan's lot prevail, For he at least unquestionable is male. I'm sure that once he stopped and prayed, "Twas when he found he could not be spayed." THE CHEAPEST MICROSCOPE scribing whiskey to know that his patient is taking an absolutely pure and good article. We believe the Garrick Club" whiskey, made by Bruce, Norris & Co., of 15 North Front Street, Philadelphia, to be the purest whiskey in the market, and since its price is almost as low as inferior brands we would suggest to our readers that they learn, by writing to the manufacturers, where this pure whiskey can be obtained in their respective localities. Do not forget to say that In the world, when quality is considered, is Beck's you act on the advice of THE MEDICAL BUL Star" Microscope. This seems to be the verdict of all who use this instrument, and if any of our subscribers contemplate adding a microscope to their armamentarium we would advise them to write to W. H. Walmsley (1016 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia) for an illustrated price list of the "Star"-giving THE BULLETIN credit for having called attention to the subject. TREATMENT OF RECTAL DISEASES. The Rorick Improved System of Rectal Treatment is practical, legitimate, and what it is claimed to be. It brings the successful treatment of diseases of the rectum within the easy reach of every practical practitioner, and it is not revolting to patients. The rectum is not an exception to other organs of the body. It is subject to pathological conditions which produce remote troubles, for the relief of which the patient seeks advice without being conscious they possess a rectum. No physician is longer excusable for abandoning this large and important field to dishonest and incompetent specialists.-Editor of Chicago Medi cal Times. Send to Dr. Rorick (202 State Street, Chicago) for full information on the subject of this new and very successful system, and say you act on the advice of THE MEDICAL BULLETIN. "COMPARISONS ARE ODIOUS." Some one has discovered certain points of similarity between a baby and a widower: He cries a great deal the first three months; after this he becomes quiet and begins to notice; and it is with considerable difficulty that he is made to survive his second summer.-Ex. A PURE WHISKEY. In these days of adulteration and substitution it is a gratification to the physician when pre LETIN. They will no doubt furnish our readers a trial bottle at reduced cost. THE gouty patient, on contemplating a meagre micturitory achievement, murmured sadly, "Little drops of water, little grains of sand."-Boston Medical and Surgical Journal. GOOD INVESTMENTS. It has been calculated that several hundred millions of dollars have been sent from the East to the West during the past twenty-five years for investment in farm mortgages, and of this vast sum almost absolutely nothing has been lost. Securities which pay seven and eight per cent. interest regularly and surely, must be in demand, and the difficulty often is to supply them fast enough for Eastern purchasers. There are many companies dealing in these loans, and two of the best are represented in the East by Henry A. Riley, Eastern Manager, 170 Broadway, New York. These companies have ample capital, are well managed and are doing a large business. Should any of our readers be thinking of making investments, they cannot do better than write to Mr. Riley and see what he has to offer. See his advertisement on page 9. THE MEDICAL BULLETIN has been averaging between 300 and 400 hundred new subscribers monthly for the past six months. Guide to Examination of the Urine. By | Boric acid for mouth disease, 334 By Handbook of Practical Medicine. Eich- Healing of Arteries after Ligature. By How We Treat Wounds. By Morris, 101 Inebrism. By Wright, 29 Lectures on Syphilis. By Lydston, IoI Local Anæsthesia. By Corning, 168 Materia Medica, etc. By Biddle, 167 By Microscopical Technology. By Friedlander, Milk Analysis and Infant Feeding. By Minor Surgery and Bandaging. By Heath, Nature, etc., of Rheumatism. MacLagan, 339 Nervous Diseases. By Webber, 30 Physical Diagnosis of Thoracic Diseases. Physician Himself. By Cathell, 373 Practical Notes on Skin Diseases. By Rohe, Practical Anatomy. By Weisse, 203 Practical Therapeutics. By Bermingham, 66 Brodie, W., address as president, 176 Bronchitis, 16, 18, 53, 121, 152, 288, 327, 392 By Chloroform, elixir of, 226 Fagge, 203 Chlorosis, 120, 183 Principles and Practice of Surgery. Psychiatry. By Meynert-Sachs, 66 Puerperal Convalescence, etc. By Kucher, 100 Quiz Compend of Pharmacy. By Steward, Report of State Board of Health, Kansas, Report of State Board of Health, Michigan, Ringworm. By Smith, 135 Surgery of Human Brain. By Roberts, 167 Use of the Microscope. By Friedlander, 30' morbus, 227, 256 Chordee, 183, 228 rheumatic, 120 |